Liquid-storage apparatus.



L. A. MAPEL. LIQLHD STORAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FLED MAY25,191`5.

Patented Nov. 27, 191?.

UNITED srarnsrarnnr onerosi LEWIS A. MAIEL, OF ST. IiOUIS, 'MISSQURL ASSIGNORTtt MECHANICAL TEVELTMENT COMPANY F MISSOURI, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A. CDRIRATION 0F MXSSURI,

LIQUID-STORAGE nPrnnArrns Application le'd May 25, 1916. Serial No. 99,839.

To all whom it may concern f Be' it known that I, Lewis A. MArnL, a citizen of the United States, residing lat St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Liquid-Storage Apparatus, of Which the following is a full, clear., and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tanks or conta-1ners that are used for storing, liquids.

Une object of myfinvention is to provide a liquid storage apparatus that comprises a novel means for indicating or recording the level or the quantity of theliquid stored in the apparatus.

Another olnect 1s to provide a liquid storwhich is so construct-ed that it is practicable distance from the tank' in which, the liquid is stored. l

, Another object is to provide a device that will correctly indicate or record the level or quantity of abody of liquid Without the aid of a float. l

'Another object is to provide a liquid storage apparatus that is of simple construction use. l

And still another object is to provide a l adapted for 'use for storing naphtha, gaso lcne and other liquids which are usually stored in underground tanks, the coinplete apparatus comprising an underground tank equipped With an eiiicien't means of novel construction for preventing an unauthorized land an indicating device arranged above the the liquid in the tank. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out. f

Figure l of the drawings'v is a vertical sectional View oi a liquid storage apparatus constructed in accordance .with my inventi 'i'. and

onthe line m2- of Fig. l. i Referringto the drawingsg which illusatethepreferred form of Iny invention` A signates a tank or container that is adua]' t-` 4 Specification of Letters Patent.

Vage apparatus of the character referred to to arrange the indicator or recorder some and not liable to get out ot' order when in liquid storage apparatus that is particularly person from obtaining access to the tanlq y iuroulul and combined with means that causes said indicating device to show `at all times the appronlmatelyenact level or quantity of i Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view, taken Patenteanev. ai, una.

ed to hold a liquid, and B designates a means for showing either the level or the quantity of liquid in the tank A. ln the forni oil my invention herein illustrated said means con sists of an indicator provided with a naovable hand l that travels-over a dial 2 marked with numerals that represent the depth of the liquid in the tank A, butfl wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to an apparatus equipped with an indicator of the type herein shown, as various other forms oit indicating or recording devices can be 'used lsuccessiullv in place oli theindicator B hereinillustrated, which is a gage of' well known form provided with a hollen7 Bonn don spring or bent tube l, `shovvn in broken lines in Fig. l,that expands and contracts and thus effects a change in the position vof the hand l, said Bourdon spring being ar-` ranged inside of a casing, 1l? that is unsealedV or,l in other words, constructed in? such a manner that the spring Il is open to the atlnosphere. In fact, it is iminatlniial Whether the apparatus is provided With 'a recording device, la registering ydevice vor a" combined recording and registoring;r devicafand"there fore, I have used the termindicating de vice in the claims in the sense-that the terni indicator is delined in Knfzts Mechanical Dictionary, namely, Fa marking `or recording instrument or one which makes a visible sign by which the condition ot the object or apparatus to which it is attached may be observed."I A. column of liquid is arranged between the body of liquid in the tank it and the Bourdon spring l oi the indicator B in `auch a manner that Vthe Weight of said collunna of liquid acting on said Bourdon spring causes said spring to niove in one direction or the other as the body of liquid in the tank Avaries. In view of the .fact that the hand l if the indicator is controlled by. the Bour doh spring, said hand l'vvillinove in one direction over the dial of the indicator when the level ofthe body of liqiilid in the tanlr A rises, and in the opposite' direction einer said dial when the level of the body vuit liquid iny the tank A drops. The` column ot liquid above referred to is confined inlalconduit or passageway Whose upper endis closed to the atmosphere, so asto prevent the upper end of said liquid column from being 'subjected to atmospheric pressure whose upper-end closed so to prevent .thenppeig'end of the roe-emana tween the euri'aee oi' the liquid in the tank.'

at muyl moment ,and the indicating device,

il ln an installation ot the kind herein illu trated the weight of the liquid eoluinn will. exert a pull ou the Bourdon spring and will immunel Said spring to oontraet. ilitter hthe liquid eoluin'n han been established the hand l. of' `the indicator is eet at zero ou the dialIJ it, oit noun-ie, heilig underetoodthat the tank A ie then empty or oontaine only a email A oil liquid of which no aeoount ie hy the hand of the indieator. "lhe o ai'qoaratue ie now in condition. to rer/aire the liquid that is to he Stored, the hand 1 of the indieator heilig held aftrzero on the dial lay the u'feiglit or downward pull that the column oil liquid eXerte on thefliourdon lill epi-ing. When liquid is introduced in the lli, the hand l olf the indieator will start or lena aoeording to the quantity of liquid introduoed into the tanlr, on account ofthe V diminution in weight of lthe liquid eoluinn, lli, for example, the height of the liquidy column ie 2i) feet, the Bourdon eprii'ig will he euhjeoted to pull rerplal to the weight oi a tout liquid oohunn, when the tanlt ei' .p 'Willian liquid ie introduced into i il to a depth of one foot the liquid anli; will balance one foot of liquid in the liquid column,y thus diminishing the pull that the liquid column exerts onthel `lloiu'don epring an amount equal to 'the weight oit one i'oot of liquid in the liquid ooliuniivi thue` leaving only 19 feet of liquid in te in uid eolunin to exert a vpull on the i epi-ing. Confsequently, the Bour'- don :spring will expand suiiieiently to cause the hand l oi the indio'ator to more to the inuneral l on the dial and Showv that the tank il. oontaine one foot di' liquid. Ae the level ol2 t i liquid in the tant: A rises, the weight oil"l ieelieetive `length oiE the liquid oolunin diininiehee oorrespondingly, and

Antljifv erteilte ieee pull on the lilour-l iur-governing element oi the indiioe. liilhen the level of the liquid l' 'tanli A drops`r the eiieotive length i liiuiid ooluuin increases andl consethue-he seen that in my iinyprcuuzafl aiiipin 2 tun the gmferning eleniei'it oi' the ini'ilieatinp; device elijmtrolled directly hy the weight oi the liquid eol'uinn, which weight varies in, direct proportion to the variation .iu the level of the body of liquid in the etorage tank ofthe apparaliis.V After the apparatus has been putin operation hy drawing tlifejliquid'np lntothe conduit ar nlove away troni zero on the dial more prevent the @over 'i from heilig opened, butti eaid Column7 or, in other wordt, equalixing the preeeure at the upper end ot the eoliunn, The cup ie long enouggjheo that the' no1'. inal contraction of the liquid in said @up will not lower the level of Said liquid, during a` period, Say, of one or two days Sufii oiently to uncover the inlet ports 24+' thus insuring a liquid seal for the column ot 4liquid when the apparatus ie operating under normal .conditions The sight gage C provides a convenient inezuie for enabling the operator in charge oi the apparatus to ascertain at any time the 1condition oi the column oi? liquid,' for anir'leakage of air Ainto the conduit that contains said liquid ooluigun will reeult'lin a dig'op in said column `.whioli eau he seen tlufough the glass meinA "her 30 of the gage C.y The pipe 17 and the liquid sealing device at the lower end of saine can be ooi'npletely withdrawn from the tank Without removing the cap `5 on the filling' pipe 4l, and still another desirable :feature of auch an apifiaratus is that the cap and the cover 7 cannot he'reinoved by an unauthorized person without mutilatiug or deetroyinfg the apparatus, owing'to the 'hiet that the ooi/'er 7 ie secured in poehtion by a ltey-eontrolled look and the 'cap i ie held against rotation hy a tubularehaped housing,member 34 at one eide of vSaid eap that projects downwardly into the groundeo as to house the pipe 19 and the lower Vportieri of the tube 3. The-yole 8 and the hasp Carried thereby not only7 they also prevent the collar 9 that carries'- eaid @over from being unsorewed from the portion of the filling Cap 5, on aooount of the fact that the yoke' 8 is oonneetild at one end to said collar andthe haep 1d on Said.' yoke is arranged in engagement with the lug' l1 on `the portion G of the filling' cap.

Ae the cover i" yieldingly held on its Seat,

it will open automatically euflioiently to periinit the eeeape of any gases' that gene* rate in the tanlt A; thus preventing the tank'roin exploding, and `il the tank ie connected to another tank in such a manner that the liquid from one tank can he run into the other7 there u; no possibility of filling the tank so i'ull that the liquid will eseape through. the vent opening. 14iny View of vthe fact that said Vent olfiening iev controlled his a valve l5 carried hy a lioat lil:`

1 Ofi pla Cri

a, continuous column of liquid between device and the body oil? liquid, whereby the l/Yhile my broad idea is particularly applicable to a liquid storage' apparatus in which the tank is buried Linder the ground, l Wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to yin appar-utils equipped ifi-ith an underground tank, es my broad idea consists in operating un indicating or recording device by means of u column of liquid interposed between said device and a body oiC liquid in such a manner that the weight of said column of liquid acting on. the governing elementcr' said device causes said governing element to move in one direction or the other automatically as the level of said body of liquid varies and thus causes the device to indicate or record either the level of. the body of liquid or the quantity oi' seme. By usingu column of liquid in the manner describcdto operate the indieating device Il obtain a more accurate reed- 4ing thun is possible with en apparatus in which air, gasor other lcompressible fluid is arranged between the indicating device and the body of liquid. und by equipping the apparatusl with un indicatingdevice Whose governing element, tor exemple, the Bourdon tube l of the device herein shown7 is open to the atmosphere, l overcome the liubility of obtaining u false reading, due tol atmospheric changes. in other words1 in my apparatus, the liquid in the supply tank and the governing element of the indicator are both under atmospheric pressure at all times, und consequently, any atmospheric changes that would result in :i variation in the pressure on. the liquid in the tunlr would have a likel ellieet on the governing element of the indicator. Fur- .thermorm as the column of liquid is in direct communication with the supply( of viquid in the tfinlr, any normal expansion or contraction'olI the liquid column ivill have no effect on the conuncrcial accuracy of the apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what il claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f

i` rfi means for indicating the depth or the quanity of u body o'v liquid, comprisingl an indicating device provided with u governing element that capebleof moving in opposite directions, and ineens for confining said Weight of the edective length of' said liquid colui-nn acting on said governingelement acts to determine the position ofsanie and cause theindicating device'to shovvat ell times the approximately enact quantity or depth of said body oit liquid.

2. A means for indicating the depth or the quantity of a body nt'liquid7 comprising an indicating device proi'ided With a governing element that is capable of. moving opposite directions, and vmeans for concating, device provided with Leccese 'an indicatingI device provided with 'a governing element that is capable of moving in opposite direc-tions, a` passageway leeding from said body of liquid to said governb ing element vand closed to the atmosphere, and a column of liquid lilling saidpassage- Way, so that the Weight of the effective length 'of said liquid column exerts e pull on scid governing element which causes it to nio-ve in one direction.

il. A ineens for indicating the depth or the quantity of a body of liquid;i comprisin miindicuting device provided with ugovern ingI element that is capable of moving in opposite directions, a passageway said body of liquid to seid governing ele ment and closed to the atmosphere, und column oi? liquid illing said pussageivey, so that the Weight of the etlective length of said liquid column exerts a pull on said governing element which causes it to more in one direction, the lower en d of said liq column being in direct communication u* the body of liqi1id,`thereby causing the iective length of' said liquid column to vary and consequently effecting a change in the position of said governing' element the level of saidbody of liquid varies,

A liquid storage apparatus, compr-is ing a tank or container for holdingf a body of liquid, un indicating device lrirovided with a governing element 'l at is capable of moving in opposite directions, a passageway leading from said tank to seid governing element, closed at its upper end to 'the atmosphere and having'its lower end ee1nmunicating `with said tank, a column of liquid filling said passageway, whereby the Weight of the effective length of. said column of liquid exerts a pull on said governing element which causes said element to move in one direction9 and means for preventing the liquid column fromescaping from said passageway when the level of the liquid in said tanlr drops below the intake at tlrrelower end 'of said passageway it@ vlc ci lengt r 6. A liquid storage apparatus, comprising i a tank for holding a body of liquid that is subjected to atmospheric pressure, an india governing element that is capable of moving in opposite directions, said governing element being exposed to the atmosphere, vay conduit or passageway having' one of its ends communicating with the interior of said tank and its opposite ,end sealed tothe atmosphere by said governing element, and a column of' liquid filling said passageway, Wbereby'the weight of the eiective length of said column exerted on said governing element causes said element to move in one direction tand the rise and fall in the level of the body of liquid in the tank causes the eilentivc length of said liquid column to vary.

7. An apparatus of the character deA scribed, comprising a tank that is `adapted rtol hold a body of liquid, an indicating device 'provided with a movable governing element, a. conduit leading fromv said governin? element to said tank, a c 'olul'nn of liquid filing said conduit, so that the Weight of the effective length of said Vcolumn acts to determine the position of same and tol cause the Vindicating device to show at all times tlieappx'oximately exact quantit or depth of the bod)T of the liquid 1n sai tank, and

a cup at thelower end of saidonduit that is adapted to contain suicient liquid to cover the inlet .at the lower end of said conduit whenl the liquid in said cup contracts under normal conditionsV at times when the l level of the body of liquid in the tank is below the inlet openin of said Vconduit.l L WIS A. MAJPEL.

Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1247,855.

It is hereby mrt-i-'erl Limi. in Lettera Femm. No. l,217,855,grnm,od Nrn-1*: -lmr 'fla HMT. upon thu npyuirnl-imi of Law#` .N Mami, of Sl. I lmis. Mish-mira. fm' im imprnvmcnt, in l.ii1|iiri-Htm'ngr Appui-htm," errors nppcrur in miie primed Specification requiring cm'iurbiun in follows: Paxgl l, lino. H1B, nfm' the wurd prr. \iro" insert n period- .snmrging unl lim, iwggimiiiig with the win-d wimw Qrikv uur n Lu mul iru'iurixigg thv wird prrssuv." iisz=- i, page 2g ,linge 4, linr-l 49. viiiiin fm' the wm'd "qimnilr wird 'fluidi-ly: :mil that, the Suid Letters Patent. elrcmll! im read with them: Corrections t-hui'reiii i'hut Uw saine may Conform to the remix-d of the unse in the 1Km-,nr (mice.

Signed and smiled this 30th day nf April, A. D., i018.

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